Don't forget your helmet! This Monday, daredevil Mars faces off with play-it-safe Saturn, a rare and confusing dust-up that will pull us all in opposite directions. Energetic Mars is in Gemini, which can get us swept up in groupthink and make us prone to peer pressure. But, uh, maybe getting a fifth refill on the bottomless piña coladas (and letting friends Snapchat the whole thing) or blowing off a family barbecue to drive out of town with someone you just met is a little, er, much? Saturn's finger-wag cautions against extremes, especially if they could damage your reputation or relationships. Indulge responsibly. Anything destructive could come back to haunt you.
On Sunday, Mars bids Gemini farewell and flows into cosy, family-friendly Cancer until July 20. After a frenetic seven weeks, we can all settle down a little and even put down roots. But Mars can be a pot-stirrer, so look out for domestic discord. It might be time to send that toxic roommate off in a U-Haul or at least create new house rules. Cancer is the sign that rules women and with courageous Mars here, we'll see some powerful women stepping forward. Find female leaders and peers you want to support — or step up into a more prominent role yourself. The divine feminine is rising!
Gemini
May 21 to June 20
A playdate with your favourite person might seem like the perfect way to kick off the week — especially with the long weekend. But try not to get fixated on that plan. On Monday, structured Saturn in your relationship house faces off with spontaneous Mars in Gemini. You could wake up feeling bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, and ready for a road trip to the beach. But your other half (a best friend or S.O.) may be in dawdle mode, cutting into your prime sunshine hours. If you know you'll wind up bitter because you waited around, leave earlier on your own and meet them at the destination. Either that, or shift your priorities. Is the point to have an adventure or to enjoy each other's company? TBH, it might be the former. You only have Mars in your sign until this Sunday, so having memorable experiences is really where your heart lies. With that in mind, maybe it's better to join a group or hang out with someone who is moving at the same speed as you. If your intended company can keep up, make sure you're both covered in the practicalities department with a mobile charger, sunscreen, and enough cash!
On Sunday, you can finally get focused as Mars bids your sign farewell until 2019. Now, the red planet is on to Cancer and your second house of income until July 20. Instead of just going with the flow, start increasing yours. Be proactive about making bank! Kick off a project that will establish you as the office up-and-comer. Network to meet clients or helpful people in your industry. If you're thinking about going into business for yourself, this Mars cycle helps with practical planning. Don't just dive in and start cranking. Crunch the numbers, map out a six-month development calendar, and figure out what it will actually take to pull off your brilliant idea. Easy with the spending — whether on business supplies or festival outfits. Fiery Mars could burn a hole in your pocket over the coming seven weeks! Know the difference between a "need" and a "want."
Illustrated by Alia Penner. Photographed by Jason Rodgers.
Cancer
June 21 to July 22
Open up that list-making app, Cancer — and add a special note for your bank holiday wardrobe (Culotte jumpsuit, bikini, platform sandals? Check!). Early this week, uber-planner Saturn gets thrown off course by a befuddling dust-up with Mars in your foggy 12th house. Don't leave anything up to memory because you'll be driven to distraction now. And let's be honest, your brain could use a break! Clear your cache by listening to guided meditations, music without words, and the "sounds" of silence. Have you been playing the martyr at work? When you head back into the office on Tuesday, be prepared to delegate some tasks — and hand back some duties to a coworker who has dumped some of their work onto your plate. Sorry, but, no.
You could really get used to this whole setting boundaries thing, especially after Sunday, when firebrand Mars zips into Cancer until July 20. The courageous, cosmic motivator only visits your sign every other year, so don't let this phase go to waste! Push your projects to the top of your priority list. You'll have ample motivation to get them into production and even find funding if needed. With your indie-spirit ablaze, you'll do some of your best work as a solo star. But Mars is also grooming you as a leader, so instead of DIY-ing everything, practise delegating!
Illustrated by Alia Penner. Photographed by Jason Rodgers.
Leo
July 23 to August 22
People-pleasing alert! This Monday, trying to meet everyone's needs could literally drive you over the edge. With frenetic Mars in your group zone, everyone is special-ordering their demands for the long weekend. But an opposition from strict Saturn in your leadership zone urges you to blow the whistle on their high-maintenance nonsense. Let the vegan pick up her own Not Dogs (you don't have to make another supermarket run) and if your pal needs a pet-friendly beach, let her do the Google search and alert everyone involved. And have you checked your own preferences, Leo? Throughout the week, make a point of strategically inserting your desires into conversations. It's not "demanding," Leo. Your needs count, too!
On Sunday, pack your beach bag and think about taking a social media sabbatical. Energiser Mars winds down for a spell, resting in your 12th house of healing and rejuvenation until July 20. Your need for privacy, solitude and restorative slumber will intensify — and you might just feel like escaping from the world for a little while. Since Mars in the 12th house can stir up buried feelings and even a few demons, this is a powerful time to work with a healer like a therapist or life coach. Start a meditation (and breathwork) practice to learn how to quiet your mind and calm your nerves. Confronting your fears can be so liberating! A phase of your life is waning, but with Mars here, you'll have lots of motivation to tie up loose ends and say your sad, but necessary, goodbyes. And with good reason: When the red planet moves into Leo on July 20, you'll blast off on a reinvention tour, one that requires you to move quickly and travel with a lighter pack.
Illustrated by Alia Penner. Photographed by Jason Rodgers.
Virgo
August 23 to September 22
As you speed along the success superhighway, it's wise to pull over occasionally and make sure all your systems are levelled and filled. With go-getter Mars zipping through your career zone until Sunday (a cycle that began April 21), you've been on a serious mission. But this Monday, stable Saturn in your personal fourth house will directly oppose Mars, tuning you in to your feelings. Make people, especially your inner circle, as much as a priority as your goal sheet. In fact, Virgo, you might want to set your work aside for a few days to really connect to the friends and colleagues who have your back. Visit family on bank holiday Monday or road trip to the beach with your girls. Their support is like premium fuel for your tanks!
People become an even greater priority starting Sunday, when energiser Mars moves on to Cancer and your 11th house of collaboration until July 20. Did you actually want to spend the entire summer working overtime? Sure, you have plans, Virgo; in fact, an online venture could turn into a profitable summer side hustle. But this might get done faster — and with greater creative oomph — if you work with an ensemble cast. Start recruiting members for your dream team, but don't rush the process. You want to make sure that roles are clearly delineated and visions aligned. With lusty Mars here, fire up the dating apps! Daring to swipe could be all that's standing between you and true love. Attached? With Mars in this experimental house, this could be your Summer Of Kink!
Illustrated by Alia Penner. Photographed by Jason Rodgers.
Libra
September 23 to October 22
How much is "too much," Libra? Don't get carried away with the bells and whistles this Monday — or insist upon a Memorial Day getaway that equates to getting stuck in long lines and gridlocked traffic. With shoot-from-the-hip Mars in your adventure zone until Sunday, you're not exactly a fan of limits or the word “no.” But stern Saturn puts his foot down on Monday, snapping you back to reality. If there are other people involved in your fun, don't drag them on a Mr. Toad inspired wild ride. Your tendency to triple book could also get you into hot water early this week. Do we need to state the obvious? VR technology has not advanced to the point of allowing people to be in multiple places simultaneously. Pick a single venue with an easy commute and make the focus about being together with the amazing people you adore. When you're back to work, see where you might streamline one of your assignments or give your colleagues clearer instructions so you stay on the same page.
On Sunday, pop into a boutique to try on lightweight "career separates." You'll have reason to put forth a polished image between now and July 20 as go-getter Mars blasts through Cancer and your 10th house of ambition and achievement. The red planet only pops by this house every other year, so don't waste the momentum — even if it is summer. You may log in more hours at the air-conditioned office than you'd like. But then again, if you're feeling the entrepreneurial momentum, you could also be developing your dream job via laptop on a poolside lounger. (Or both.) Your relationships with men will be electrified by Mars, but a few could become contentious. You won't take kindly to anyone trying to hold you back — not with warrior Mars handing you a hammer to smash the glass ceiling! But don't lose your cool, Libra. If you're dealing with gender bias, going through official channels could not only end it for you, but set a powerful precedent for other women in the group!
Illustrated by Alia Penner. Photographed by Jason Rodgers.
Scorpio
October 23 to November 21
Intensity alert! Ahem, Scorpio, we're talking about yours. This Monday, passionate Mars in your erotic and emotionally charged eighth house gets a citation from cool-headed Saturn in your grounded second house. You kind of can't help it — you just feel everything deeply. The trouble comes when you react on pure instinct and before you have an accurate picture of the situation. Hey, Scorpio, maybe you will meet your soulmate at a friend's bank holiday barbecue. And maybe your Spidey senses are on-point about a person who seems untrustworthy. But the Mars-Saturn faceoff wants you to operate on facts. Your snap judgments are also likely to be obscuring some important data. Instead of wearing the green-eyed monster's glasses, pop on the detective's hat and investigate!
A change of scenery could be just what you need to regain perspective. And starting Sunday, red-hot Mars will activate your wanderlust as he zips through Cancer and your worldly ninth house until July 20. Research beachy destinations; bonus if there's a foreign language spoken there. Think: Barcelona or a potentially sexuality affirming (and so Scorpionic) trip to Cuba. Can't get away? Make a point of being more active at home. Join a running group or get a membership for lap swims at an outdoor pool. Find out where the travellers hang when they roll through your neck of the woods. With lusty Mars here, you could be the protagonist in someone's vacation fling diaries. But you never know: This could be the start of a long-distance relationship or a magical, cross-cultural friendship.
Illustrated by Alia Penner. Photographed by Jason Rodgers.
Sagittarius
November 22 to December 21
Exciting invitations and ideas are swirling around! But early this week, you're challenged to say a powerful “No” to anything that doesn't fully light your fire — or align with your personal trajectory for success. With staunch Saturn in Sagittarius until December 19, you are laying a stable foundation for your future. But on Monday, a distracting opposition from Mars in your relationship house could lure you away from your own goals. It's not like you should cut short your long weekend to catch up on work. But while you're out mingling, don't let your mouth write a cheque that your busy ass can't cash, like, say, agreeing to join someone's weekly women's meetup or drive a holiday-bound friend to the airport when you're already behind on work. The hardest part of this? Not feeling bad about disappointing the ones you adore. On the flip side, have you cashed in on one too many favours from someone in your life? Deploy a grandiose gesture of gratitude early this week, like treating them for dinner or sending flowers.
Life feels a whole lot steamier starting Sunday as lusty Mars moves into Cancer and your erotic, esoteric eighth house until July 20. Every interaction may seem tinged with innuendo — or cloaked in mystery. When it comes to love, you're "all or nothing" now. No halfway commitments for you! The only issue? Mars can make you a little too eager to seal the deal. Deep breaths, Archer. Neither Rome nor a real relationship was built in a day. Give people a chance to warm up to you and try not to heap on too much pressure! An existing connection could hit a milestone moment, even one worthy of a social media announcement.
Illustrated by Alia Penner. Photographed by Jason Rodgers.
Capricorn
December 22 to January 19
All systems go? Sure, Capricorn, but how about taking a little time out first. With go-getter Mars in your organised sixth house since April 21, you've been getting 'er done — and how! But on bank holiday Monday, your ruler Saturn parks directly opposite from Mars in your 12th house of healing rest and rejuvenation. There's a hammock — or maybe a beach blanket — out there with your name on it. A restorative timeout will actually make you more productive by midweek. And think twice before taking on the entertainment director's role on Monday. Pick a venue or destination and head on over with a small group or even one person. If friends and family want to meet you there, cool. But let them bring their own coolers of PBR and snacks. You need time off from being everyone's favourite provider! Have you been the recipient of someone's generosity lately? When your own batteries are recharged, jump on the opportunity to step in with a show of support, even helping them out with a household task or showing up at one of their events to provide moral support.
Partnerships heat up starting Sunday, when fireball Mars hits your house of dynamic duos until July 20. An attractive opposite could sweep you off your feet — or you could meet the perfect collaborator for a creative project or business venture. But with speed demon Mars at the wheel, don't race ahead without handling all the checks and balances. If money is changing hands, have a lawyer draft a contract. And in the case where Cupid is involved, try to pace yourself and make sure the connection goes further than potent physical chemistry. Certain relationships could actually reach their breaking point with warrior Mars here. If it's time to bolt, you could be hitting the exit ramp faster than expected...and never looking back. Bye!
Illustrated by Alia Penner. Photographed by Jason Rodgers.
Aquarius
January 20 to February 18
Are those fireworks we see, Aquarius? The week may be off to an unexpectedly romantic start for you. Prepare to be swept off your feet — and maybe by someone you only thought of as a friend in the past. But heart-thumping vibes aside, don't get so carried away with the fantasy that you forget about practical considerations. On Monday, passionate Mars in your true love zone faces off with pragmatic Saturn in your house of hopes and dreams. Though you may enjoy your live-for-the-moment thrills, ultimately, it would be nice to have more than just a one-off or fling. Then again, that might be all you're looking for right now. If so, make sure the other party is aware of your limitations. You don't want to lead anyone on! Wherever you go in the first half of the week, the Mars-Saturn faceoff will help you draw attention your way. And while you're practically a one-woman show, make sure to turn the spotlight on other talents in the crowd. Your generous spirit is what will most impress your fanbase now.
On Sunday, energiser Mars heads into Cancer and your sixth house of healthy living, igniting a wellness revolution until July 20. Time to bring your exercise outdoors and maybe inspire friends to join you for that acro-yoga class every week. But don't overdo it or forget to stretch. Competitive Mars could lead to an exercise injury if you push yourself too hard. Work will be busier but here, too, you'll want to give your all without getting in over your head. Set up savvy systems to keep yourself organised. For some Aquarians, it might even be time to hire an assistant.
Illustrated by Alia Penner. Photographed by Jason Rodgers.
Pisces
February 19 to March 20
Come out, come out, wherever you are. With energiser Mars in your domestic zone since April 21, you've enjoyed your time tucking away at Chateau Mermaid. But as you've nested and entertained, have a few of your career goals gotten sidelined? This Monday, stern Saturn sounds a wakeup call when he positions himself directly opposite Mars. By all means, enjoy your bank holiday family time and fun. But don't even think about walking into the office nursing a hangover on Tuesday. You may be skating on thinner ice than you realise — and alas, your sugar-sweet charm isn't going to get you a pass this time. Plan to buckle down this week and prove what you're made of. Deliver results by the end of the workweek and you'll be back in good graces again. This transit might also inspire you to set up a workspace at home. If it means greater efficiency, then do it! But if this plan could turn you into an extreme workaholic, use the spare room as a yoga studio instead.
Besides, starting Sunday, you'll be ready to make a bigger debut in the public eye. Splashy Mars moves on to Cancer and your fifth house of fame, flamboyance, and unapologetic romance. Polish up your profiles and presentation materials. It's time to start a buzz about your latest offerings — or start hitting parties that double as networking events. Knowing the right people can accelerate your success. In love, Mars brings the white hot heat — and if you're not careful, a heavy dose of drama. Excitement is one thing, but don't play with fire, Pisces. Find healthy outlets for your lust and save your final rose for a keeper. With Mars in this fertile position, you might just be getting hitched or boarding the mothership before summer is through. Be vocal about your desires. Your wish is Cupid's command.
Illustrated by Alia Penner. Photographed by Jason Rodgers.
Aries
March 21 to April 19
The word "impossible" rarely finds its way into your vocabulary, Aries. But this Monday, you might want to hit the brakes on an overly ambitious plan. Your ruling planet, make-it-happen Mars, gets a sobering reality check from strict Saturn. Sure, you could pull off the grandiose dream — but at what cost? Monday's bank holiday festivities are like a kickoff to summer. Do you legit want to miss all the outdoor leisure time because you saddled yourself with a major mission? We think not. Scale back the scope and launch with something smaller. You can always keep adding to your dream over time, Aries. Think of it as an ongoing work in process.
More reason to prioritise chill time comes on Sunday as your ruling planet Mars dips into Cancer and your fourth house of home and family. Spruce up your spot — and invest in an air mattress or sleep cushions. Entertaining your inner circle at Chez Aries will be your thing between now and July 20. And while you are the superhost, don't hesitate to ask guests to pick up groceries or bring a dish for a potluck-style dinner party. Mars can ratchet up stress and a tense relationship with a relative or roomie could reach its boiling point. Time to clear the air and find a compromise. And if you can't, get real. Your bond may fare better if you live under separate roofs. Speaking of which, Mars' motivation might just make some Rams into first-time home buyers. Read these 12 tips and set up those Zillow alerts!
Illustrated by Alia Penner. Photographed by Jason Rodgers.
Taurus
April 20 to May 20
You work hard for your money, Taurus, but is your money working hard for you? Early this week, a motivating opposition between daring Mars and play-it-safe Saturn could bring some wake-up calls. Maybe you've been living beyond your means (not uncommon) or have simply been tucking your earnings into a basic savings account where they don't earn any noteworthy interest. The push of the Mars-Saturn dust-up can alert you to a savvier strategy. Use some of your Memorial Day downtime to check out a more affordable neighbourhood or raise your fiscal IQ with some reading. Setting up a financial tracking app can be eye-opening! If you don't want to move out of your awesome neighbourhood, cut costs by sharing. Split a 2BR with a roommate, organise potluck lunches and carpools with coworkers. Or maybe it's time to make a romantic merger more official for the partnership and the practicality.
On Sunday, your social butterfly wings start fluttering as motivator Mars breezes into Cancer and your outgoing third house until July 20. Gather your ladies — and have them invite all the amazing women that they know. Cancer is the sign of the "divine feminine." Over the coming seven weeks, you could find yourself at the centre of a growing circle of sisters, organising get-togethers and finding savvy ways to support each other. With Mars in this communicative position, you'll have little trouble expressing your feelings. But easy now! Caustic Mars here can make you quite the firecracker. Don't forget to breathe in between thoughts and give people a chance to respond! The goal is to spark dialogues, not leave people feeling bulldozed.
Illustrated by Alia Penner. Photographed by Jason Rodgers.Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
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